//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Fluttertail 
// by Whirly Tail 
//------------------------------//

Fluttertail

"Hello! I'm-um… oh! Hey! Hi! My name is-wha-? Hey… why won't anypony talk to me?"

(random song) I was having a bad day,
nopony would say hi,
I needed somepony to hug
then I saw my Fluttershy
she said, "I know it's hard sometimes
I have my problems too
but hey, if you stick with me
together we'll get through."

Then she hugged me. It was the best hug I had ever received from anypony. Never again would I receive a more beautiful, loving hug from anypony. And so, I spent the rest of the day with the most beautiful mare I had ever seen. Unfortunately, I had to leave that night because I had just received a job in Fillydelphia. It's been 9 years, and I haven't seen or heard from her. Even so, the memories of that day are what keep me going. She is the reason I'm still here, making it through each day, no matter how miserable. Oh, I wish she was here. I miss he-

"Wh-Whirly Tail?"

Fluttershy?!

I went to the door and flung it open. There she was, standing in the doorway. My doorway. We just stared at each other for several minutes until she finally said, "U-um… h-hi." Then I hugged her, tears in my eyes. "I've missed you," I said softly. After about a minute, I stepped back, suddenly angry.

"9 years. It's been 9 years, Fluttershy. Where have you been?!"

"B-but," she said in that soft, airy voice I'd fallen in love with, "I sent you a letter every day." She was recoiled slightly, her wings drooping, her ears pointed to the ground, her tail curled around herself, her eyes so sad. Oh, why is she so cute?

"I-I'm sorry," I said, "Y-you did?" She stood up a bit and nodded slightly, her mane shifting over her right eye as she did. I invited her in. "I just made some tea. Help yourself," I said. I had to take a minute by the door to process.

If it weren't for Fluttershy, I would still hate tea. I'm the kind of pony who hates things untested. Finally I shook my head, shut the door, and walked into the kitchen. I saw Fluttershy making more tea, a different kind. "Oh," she said timidly, "I'm allergic to chamomile. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," I smiled. "I've never liked chamomile, but it makes this terrible constant migraine somewhat bearable." Funny thing was, as soon as I'd heard her voice, my head had cleared. "So, if you sent me a letter every day, where are they?"

"I wouldn't know," she said. "What's that?" she asked suddenly, pointing to a picture of me and Vinyl Scratch behind a mix board on a stage in front of thousands of ponies.

"Vinyl and I grew up together, and we share the same love of music. Vinyl is really famous now. Her name is known all over Equestria. She remembered how much we liked making music together, so the last time she had a concert here in Fillydelphia, she invited me to work with her. I'd say it was the best night of my life… if I'd never met you."

She blushed. God, she's cute when she blushes. Then I blushed.

We both sat down at the table, and I used my magic to pour tea into both of our cups. I accidentally overfilled mine, and it spilled onto the table. "Oh, let me get that," she said. Before I could protest, she was in front of me with a towel in her mouth. As she delicately mopped up the spilled tea, I couldn't help but smell her mane. It smelled like honey. And flowers.

"There," she said, snapping me out of my daydream.

"Thank you, Fluttershy," I said somewhat dreamily, which I immediately realized and hid my face in my hooves.

"Hey," she said, taking one of my hooves. I looked up. "It's okay. I love you too."

Wow. She said that. She-she actually said that. Wow. I-I can't believe this. Yes! She said she-

"Whirly? Whirly!"

"Wh-wha?" I blinked. Fluttershy was looking over me with a concerned face. "Oh, dear," she said, "you fell down so suddenly. Thank goodness you're okay."

"Wh-what happened?"

"Ha-ha. You passed out, silly!" Oh, no.

I stood up and saw Rainbow Dash outside my window. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Come on, Whirly! Everypony in Ponyville and Cloudsdale knows about you and Fluttershy. Somepony's got to keep an eye on you two!"

I looked at Fluttershy. She was blushing and giggling behind her hoof. Cute. "Fluttershy? Did you know about this?"

"Um… yes."

"Hey, can I come inside? Talking through a window is weird." I opened the door and Rainbow Dash flew in. Suddenly, she fell on the floor and commenced to laugh uncontrollably. "Ha-ha! You should have seen your face! Priceless!"

"It was pretty funny," Fluttershy added quietly.

"It was hilarious!" said Rainbow Dash.

I laughed a little under my breath. "I do tend to be unintentionally comical," I said.

"Ya think?" said Rainbow Dash. "Well, I should probably go. Somepony's got to tell everypony!" She zoomed out the door, pulling it shut in her wake.

(Flashback)

The hug really only lasted for about five seconds, but I didn't care. "Oooh, I should introduce you to the animals," said Fluttershy. I agreed and followed her to her house. She showed me the birds, the badgers, and Angel, a very controlling rabbit. "Oh, he's much better when you get to know him," she said. Somehow I thought she was just saying that.

"Come inside, I'll make some tea," she said.

"Oh, I don't like tea," I said, too quickly.

"Really? Have you ever tried it?"

"Um… well… um… no," I finally admitted. She giggled behind her hoof.

"Come here." She dragged me into her house. As I passed through the door, I looked at the hanging flowerbeds on the windows. Was it just me or did one of those flowers have rainbow leaves? When I was inside, I sat down and she went into the kitchen.

"That tea smells good," I said after a few minutes. Not as much as you, I thought.

"Come in here," she said. I got up and walked into the kitchen. "I knew you would like tea," Fluttershy said. And I did.

Fluttershy and I spent hours talking. Just talking. Afterwards, I was very tired, even though it was only midday.

"Hey, Fluttershy, would you mind if I took a nap here? I'm suddenly very tired."

"Oh, not at all."

I curled up in the middle of her living room, expecting dreams of her, completely unaware of the perspective change that was about to occur.

(POV change to Fluttershy)

He looked so cute lying on my floor. It made me happy. I smiled as I watched him breathe, so rhythmic, so steady. It was calming. I was so tempted to just lie down next to him, but I knew better. I sighed. Today's been a weird day, I thought. That morning, Mayor Mare had informed me that she needed the bird choir to perform next week at an event. Rarity begged me to come to her boutique the next day to help with her current project. I had my secret flying lessons with Rainbow Dash, in which I did terrible. Pinkie Pie wanted my help with a surprise party for Teary Shine. Carrot Top wanted help setting up her vending tent. Then I saw this really cute stallion looking lonely and I just had to help him.

Suddenly my heart started racing. I knew it was coming, and I just felt so helpless. I remember falling on the floor before everything went black.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy, what's wrong?"

I felt his hoof petting my mane. I blinked, but everything was blurry. I looked up so as to see his face. "What happened?" he asked. "You were crying and shaking and-and-"

I was still focusing on steadying my breathing. Finally, I tried to stand up, but I couldn't quite support myself, so I leaned against him. He was so warm.

"I-I'm sorry if I frightened you," I muttered weakly.

"It's not that. I'm just worried. What happened?"

"W-well, I-I have severe anxiety, a-and I had a panic attack. I-I have them often." Every day, I thought.

"I-well, I-there's not much I can say."

"Don't say anything, Whirly. Just hug me." He did, and I loved it. This stallion made me a different pony. The real me. The real Fluttershy. Not the tiny scared Pegasus with a fear of heights and an obsession with animals, but the Fluttershy who starts conversations instead of awkwardly avoiding them. The Fluttershy who leaves her house because she wants to, not because a bunny forces her out. The Fluttershy I always wanted to be but never was because anxiety screwed me over. I was in love. I knew it was forever.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy," said Whirly. "I'll always be there for you."

"And I for you," I whispered.

And for nine years, I wasn't there. The guilt was becoming too much. My nightmares had become related to him committing various forms of suicide. Those were the worst nightmares I've ever had.

For years, I've found comfort in the animals. I love the animals. They're so CUTE! They always know when I'm anxious, and they've helped me out. But I've always wished there was a pony to talk to, somepony to comfort me, but I could never bring myself to say anything to anypony. When I met Whirly Tail, however, I just… wasn't scared. I told him all about all my issues, and he told me his. We complemented each other perfectly. All of that, that's why I had to go to Fillydelphia. I had to see him. Because I loved him.

(The Present) (POV change to Whirly Tail)

Dangit. Stop, dangit. I couldn't let Fluttershy see me cry. But I cried anyway. I cried into her mane. And cried. And cried. Why couldn't I stop crying? When I could finally make somewhat comprehensible word-sounds, she asked what was wrong.

"I just… I missed you so much," I sobbed.

"I missed you too, Whirly."

I did that weird thing where you smile and sob at the same time and just hugged her and cried some more.

Suddenly, I had an idea. I composed myself and told Fluttershy I'd be back soon, and to feel free to use whatever she needed. I rushed out of my house to find my boss.

When I got to his house, he greeted me at the door. "Well, hello, Whirly. What brings you here? It's your day off. You look terrible."

"I feel great. Actually, that's why I'm here. I really don't want to disappoint you, but I remember you saying something about having too many ponies on the team, and…"

"Are you saying you want to quit?"

"Sir, with all due respect, I have something in Ponyville worth more than anything you could offer."

He smiled. "All right. I enjoyed having you on the team, but I know true love when I see it."

I blinked, and then I blushed and looked at my hooves. "Th-thank you, sir," I said softly. I turned around and hadn't taken five steps when something tackled me from the left.

"YAY!" squealed Fluttershy. She was standing on top of me, smiling like Pinkie Pie after a rainbow. I'm not entirely sure what happened next, but I think she kissed me. Me. Out of all the ponies in Equestria, she kissed me. She blushed then and backed off, embarrassed. I stood up, and together we walked to my house to prepare for the trip back to Ponyville.

The End